Charles rogers



' (No Model.)

0 ROGERS APPARATUS FOR REGEIVING WRITTEN MESSAGES.

Patented Nov. 21, 1893.

Fig.1

Q-) PLEASEWRITE YOUR BUSINESE UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES RoeERs, OF NEW :PLYMOUTH, NEw ZEALAND, AssIeNoRTo EREDERIoK WILLIAM SOHAFER, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

APPARATUS FOR RECEIVING WRITTEN MESSAGES.

SPECIFICATION forming partof Letters Patent No. 509,140, dated November 21, 1893.

Application filed March 20,1893. Serial No. 466.95 9- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, CHARLES ROGERS, a subject of the Queen of England,,and a resident of New Plymouth. New Zealand, atpresent residing at Sydenham, Kent, England, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Apparatus for Receiving \Vritten Messages, Orders, or the Like, of which the following is a specification. p

This invention which relates to apparatus for receiving written messages, orders or the like, consists of a device in which a roll of paper is-contained and from which roll the paper may be unwound from the exterior, a portion being exposed at the exterior for receiving a message or the like, and which portion at each operation is wound into the interior so as to be inaccessible to all those who do not possess akey for unlocking the device.

The invention further consists in combining with the before described apparatus an indicator for showing the time at which the person setting it intends to return or otherwise stating whether he is out of town, engaged, or the like.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a front elevation, and Fig. 2 a vertical section on the crooked line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Like letters indicate like parts throughout the drawings.

A is the case of the device which may consist of a front A and end and side walls A By one of these side walls the case A is hinged to the back B which, as shown in the accompanying drawings, may form a part of the complete device, or'which, instead, may be a portion of the door, partition or the like, to which the device is attached.

0 are the hinges connecting the case A to the back, door, partition or the like B. 7

As shown in the accompanying drawings, the front A near its upper part is provided with an opening A into which fits the writing table or support D which is held in position by the lugs D secured thereto and in which rotate the shafts E E which have their bearings in the side walls A as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1. On each of these shafts E E are rigidly mounted two rollers E which at the front part project into vertical recesses or slots D between the side or vertical edges of the table D and the opposite vertical edges of the front A or opening A therein. To the face of A is secured a preferably metal frame F the vertical sides of which extend over the against the frame F. On the shaft E is secured a ratchet wheel H with which engages a pawl H (represented in the accompanying drawings in dotted lines) which may be pivoted to one of the walls A The shaftE proj ects at one side of the case Abeyond the side wall and at its end has secured upon it a milled head or disk E by which it may readily be rotated in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 2.

I is a plate hinged at I to the case front A and J is a spring which when the case is closed in the manner shown in Fig. 2 bears upon the plate I and presses it down against the paper K passing over the bands G. The

paper K is supplied to the device in the form of a roll as shown at K and may be supported on a shelf or equivalent L in such a position as will admit of free access being bad to the button M of indicator M. At the bottom of the device a reserve roll K may be stored as shown in Fig. 2, a barA extending across the back of the device so as to prevent the reserve roll falling out when the case is opened.

The indicator M may be of any well-known construction; in the accompanying drawings it is shown to consistof afixed dial and an adjustable index or pointer M which may be turned only from the inside of the case by means of the milled head M, thefront being closed in by glass M The case A may be locked to the back or equivalent B by means of a lock, the key N of which is shown in the accompanying drawings. 7

When the before described apparatus is to be used the paper is led off from the roll K supported on the shelf or equivalent L, passed through the space existing between the front A and the lower edge of the table D, upward across the table D and through the slot or passage existing between the upper edge of the table D and the upper part of the front A the milled head E being turned in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 2, for the purpose of thus introducing the paper into the apparatus through the medium of the bands G which, as before described, press against the back of the paper and press the paper against the frame F.

The shelf L may be hinged or otherwise arranged so as to facilitate the placing of the paper roll into its proper Working position.

The plate I by being presssed against the paper K by the springJ insures the paper being drawn along by the bands G Without slipping.

When a person desires to leave a message he writes the message upon the paper exposed within the frame F after which he can move the portion of the paper so written on to the 1nside of the apparatus by turning the milled head E so as to be inaccessible to any but those possessing a key forunlocking the case A. It will thus be seen that any number of messages may be Written and turned to the inside of the device Without fear of their being seen by unauthorized people.

The face of the frame F may have engraved or otherwise depicted thereon any directions necessary for operating the apparatus such for example as is shown in Fig. 1.

The before described apparatus may be modified without departing from the essential features of the invention.

I claim In a device for receiving written messages or the like, the combination of the case having its front provided with an opening, a frame surrounding the opening, a writing table or support located within said opening, leaving a space or recess all around the same, rollers mounted to the rear of said table and projecting into said recess at the sides of the ing witnesses.

CHARLES ROGERS. Witnesses:

ALFRED J. BOULT,

HARRY B. BRIDGE. 

